Football legend Pele admitted to hospital in Sao Paulo

Football legend Pele has been admitted to hospital, it has been reported.

According to Sky News, the Brazilian sports star is receiving treatment at the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo.

No information has been given as to why the 74-year-old had to be taken to hospital.

Pele underwent prostate surgery at the same hospital last May. The earlier procedure was to treat a condition that creates urinary problems because of an enlarged prostate,. At the rime, doctors confirmed that no tumours were found.

He was also in hospital for two weeks in December because of a urinary tract infection that stemmed from surgery to remove kidney stones.

The ex-Santos star spent several days in an intensive care unit while undergoing hemodialysis to help support his only kidney, having had the other removed in 1977 while playing for the New York Cosmos in United States.

Pele, whose real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, is widely regarded as the greatest football player of all time.

He scored 77 goals during his 91-match career as an international player.

He won his first World Cup at the age of 17, scoring twice to secure Brazil's victory over Sweden in 1958.